Every day we see them. Every day we hear them. Every day we interact with them. Cars have taken over the world. It was in 1807 that the first combustion engine was created, which was considered a total failure. It only took 200 years for the vehicle to revolutionize the way we live. Many use the car for daily transportation, to run to the grocery store or to travel across the country. With over a billion cars worldwide, they wield great influence. The car made urban sprawl possible. The economy was affected by the automobile. The car has a bad side, it harms our environment. So where is the car? Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? The definition of urban sprawl is “the uncontrollable expansion of urban areas.” So how did the car influence this? The Ford Model T is known as the first unofficial success of a car. With over 15 million units produced, this was bound to have an impact. The Model T could go 200 miles without having to fill up on gas and its top speed was 45 mph. The city was the main employment center at that time. You would no longer have to live in or near the city. You can hop in your Model T and get into town relatively quickly. As cars have progressed, they have become faster and able to go much further on a single tank of gas. This has led to an alarming rate of urban sprawl. The impact is such that jobs have left the city because people can travel long distances by car. But why move to an urban area? There are several reasons, the first being that it is generally cheaper to live in urban areas. Land is much cheaper. Many people appreciate being able to have a lawn and space between you and your neighbor, which doesn't exist in the city. W...... middle of paper ....... The economy has been boosted by the car. This created jobs and created giant business markets. Overall, the car is a great invention. It challenges designers to build smart, strong and reliable products. This allowed humans to travel like never before. The car will only progress and become more useful. One small idea can change the way we live. References: “The unpopular and successful automobile rescue. » The American perspective. Np, and Web. April 30, 2014.Gimbel, Barney. “The richest city in the world.” CNNMargent. Cable News Network, March 12, 2007. Web. May 2, 2014. “Environmental impact of cars. » Impact of cars on the environment. Np, and Web. May 1, 2014.Amadeo, Kimberly. “How Gas Prices Are Rising.” About.com American Economy. Np, and Web. May 02, 2014. Hartman, Dennis. “The Effects of Cars on the Economy.” EComment. Demand Media, January 26, 2010. Web. May 2 2014.